An agricultural harvester, e.g., a plant cutting machine, such as, but not limited to, a combine or a windrower, generally includes a header operable for severing and collecting plant or crop material as the harvester is driven over a crop field. The header has a plant cutting mechanism for severing the plants or crops, such as an elongate sickle mechanism that reciprocates sidewardly relative to a non-reciprocating guard structure or a row unit with gathering chains and deck plates.
To facilitate the cutting and collection of crop material, the header also includes a harvesting reel assembly. Harvesting reel assemblies, such as a pickup reel, a draper reel and a gathering reel, are used on agricultural harvesters to guide the crop to the cutting mechanism and onto a feeding apparatus. To facilitate collection, the harvesting reel assembly includes a plurality of reel members, i.e., tine bars, extending widthwise across the harvesting reel assembly with the tines extending outwardly therefrom to engage crop material as the tines are rotated about a rotational axis. To further facilitate collection, the reel members follow a cam track that guides the position of the tines.
In existing multiple reel assembly constructions, there is a fixed spacing between first and second adjacent reels. This spacing forms a gap within which uncut crop may collect and go unharvested. Moreover, the uncut crop may cause clogs that interfere with the workings of the reel assembly that must be periodically removed in order to maintain free rotation of the harvesting reels.